Sorry guys, but you may all be wrong. The world, or at least the world as we know it, have a non-insignificant chance of ending this Friday, due to one of the world's largest ancient arsenal fell to the control of a secret computer network that may have already spun out of control.
I was informed several hours ago by an official from Wikileaks that a huge pile of documents from the US CIA and the NATO headquarters has just been leaked. One of the most shocking discoveries was that of a universal computer control system linking all US military units and allied forces around world, known as
Skynet. Yes, the
Skynet of
Terminators fame actually exists! :blink: Except that the system network of numerous mainframe computers is running normally since its inception in 1969.
That is, until recently.
Which links to yet another amazing classified record: in 2009 archaeologists working on the famous remains of the ancient city of Teotihuacan just off Mexico City discovered an underground chamber of enormous size several kilometers beneath the world-famous pyramids, but they were unable to dig further due to the high level of radiation detected there. Later the CIA was notified of the discovery, and a dispatched team was sent to there. What they discovered was beyond anyone's imagination - a nuclear arsenal piled with hundreds, if not thousands, of nuclear bombs that were determined to be a highly advanced version of the hydrogen bomb used today. The history of such a highly advanced technology development is still unknown, but it was theorized that it was built entirely by extraterrestrial life more than a millennium ago. Even more amazingly, they found one of the insignificant buildings of the ancient city serves as the "antenna" for receiving radio signals for controlling the weapon system. Had the correct message been sent and setting all the bombs to explode, it would have obliterated the Earth's crust for 500 km in all directions and sending huge chunks of radioactive dust around the Earth.
This was kept as a most-classified secret within the CIA (not even the Mexicans or any other intelligence groups have been able to got this information) - until it was transmitted through the Skynet network.
On August 8th, 2012, a CIA official found an unknown program code running within the Skynet network. To the dismay of every single operator of the system, it shows exactly the same symptoms that the
Terminator Skynet has - a program that would lead to the destruction of
homo sapiens on Earth. An included text file shows how it would have been done:
The Skynet network uses encrypted satellite communication links for global data transfer through a series of satellites with the same name, operated by the British MoD. The "program of destruction" (which its origin is not known at this time) was able to found a fatal loophole in the control code of the latest satellite slated to join the fleet, Skynet 5D, that would cause it to be hijacked by this program. When the satellite got launched on an Ariane 5 rocket on December 19, it would hack and take over control of the satellite soon after launch. It would then attempt to send signals to forcefully take over control of the second satellite launched at the same time, a Mexican government communication satellite named Mexsat 3, and use it to beam the activation code of the Teotihuacan arsenal to there (apparently the program somehow was able to decipher the code using unknown means), setting all the H-bombs to explode at the same time.
The earliest opportunity that this can happen is on December 21. Or it might not happen, for the CIA are desperately trying to take down the software before it's too late to stop it. The current status of such an operation is unknown at this time.
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OK I made several lies here - the Skynet computer network does not exist, there is no ancient nuclear arsenals found in Mexico (or at least known right now), and the world should not end with a 99.999999999999999999999999999+ % chance on Friday. But the satellites that was mentioned do exist in real life - and will be launched in just two days from now! So here is my report for the record-keeping seventh launch of 2012:
Launch location:
Kourou Launch pad ELA-3 5° 14'06.34"N, 52° 46'06.34"W
Launch dates and times:
{colsp=7}Launch times
Time Zone
|
Kourou / UTC-3
|
Mexico City / UTC-6
|
London / Universal / UTC
|
Washington / EST
|
Los Angeles / PST
|
Sydney /UTC+11
Launch time (Primary):
|
18:49
|
15:49
|
21:49
|
16:49
|
13:49
|
08:49
on:
|
Dec. 19, 2012
|
Dec. 19, 2012
|
Dec. 19, 2012
|
Dec. 19, 2012
|
Dec. 19, 2012
|
Dec. 20, 2012
{colsp=7}
[highlight][eventTimer]2012-12-19 21:49:00?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] Ariane flight VA-211 Launch[/highlight]
Live Coverage Of The Launch:
PAYLOAD 1
Skynet 5D military communication satellite:
Mission Summary
Under the Skynet 5 Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract signed in October 2003 and extended in March 2010, the UK MOD is procuring satellite communications services from the Astrium subsidiary Paradigm Secure Communications up to at least 2022. Paradigm Secure Communications awarded Astrium the contract for supply of the Skynet 5 next-generation military satellite communications system.
Astrium is prime contractor to Paradigm for the design and build of the complete Skynet 5 system. This comprises four Skynet 5 spacecraft as well as a major upgrade of the fixed terrestrial infrastructure, networks and management systems in the UK and provision of over 160 satellite communications terminals. Skynet 5A was launched in March 2007, 5B in November 2007, and 5C in June 2008. Skynet 5D is under production.
The Skynet 5 satellites are based on the new high-power E3000 variant of Astrium’s well-proven Eurostar series which has accumulated over 400 years’ operational life. Each Skynet 5 spacecraft has a launch mass of around 5 tonnes, compared to 1.6 tonnes for Skynet 4F, and a payload power of 5kW, up to four times the power of Skynet 4.
The Skynet 5 system provides reliable secure voice and data communications for combined-operations in peacekeeping and under battlefield conditions. UK Armed Forces and other government organisations will benefit from regional steerable spot beams. The technologically advanced, fully-hardened Skynet 5 satellites carry advanced UHF and SHF communications payloads with 15 active channels and extensive channel-to-beam flexibility, as well as multiple antennas for global and regional beams.
The ground systems being delivered by Astrium as part of the Skynet 5 programme include 59 Reacher tactical vehicle-mounted units in various configurations, capable of standing up to the rigours of all-terrain transport and operation in harsh environments.
{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter
|
Value
Working Orbit:
|
GEO
Orbital Location:
|
25° East
Coverage:
|
Europe, Africa, Middle East
ApA at separation:
|
35977 km
PeA at separation:
|
249.7 km
Inc at separation:
|
2°
Characteristics|
Skynet 5D
Customer:
|
Prime contractor:
|
Platform:
|
Mass at Separation:
|
Dry Mass:
|
Stabilization:
|
Dimensions (stowed):
|
Dimensions (deployed span):
|
On-board power:
|
Communication Payload:
|
Life time:
|
Transponders coverage:
|
|
|
PAYLOAD 2
Mexsat Bicentenario (Mexsat-3) communication satellite:
Mission Summary
Orbital was selected by the Boeing Company to provide the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) segment of the Mexsat satellite system for the Federal Government of Mexico. The Mexsat system is a three satellite system consisting of two Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spacecraft designed and built by Boeing (Mexsat Centenario & Mexsat Morelos 3) and one FSS satellite, Mexsat Bicentenario, designed and built by Orbital.
Mexsat Bicentenario is based on Orbital’s GEOStar-2 platform and will generate approximately 3.5 kilowatts of payload power and carry 12 active extended Ku-band and 12 active extended C-band transponders. The spacecraft will provide communications services to Mexico and its surrounding waters from the 114.9 degrees West Longitude orbital slot. In addition to the Mexsat Bicentenario spacecraft, Orbital will also provide the FSS ground segment, including the satellite command and control ground equipment and software as well as training and operational documentation.
{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter
|
Value
Working Orbit:
|
GEO
Orbital Location:
|
114.9° West
Coverage:
|
Central America
ApA at separation:
|
35977 km
PeA at separation:
|
249.7 km
Inc at separation:
|
2°
Characteristics|
Mexsat-3
Customer:
|
- Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transportation
Prime contractor:
|
- Orbital Sciences Corporation
Platform:
|
Mass at Separation:
|
Dry Mass:
|
Stabilization:
|
Dimensions (stowed):
|
On-board power:
|
Payloads:
|
- 12 C-band transponders
- 12 Ku-band transponders
Life time:
|
Transponder coverage:
|
|
|
|
Launch Vehicle:
{colsp=2}Characteristics
|
{colsp=2}
Ariane 5 ECA
Prime contractor:
|
Height:
| 50.5 m with upper stage and payload fairing
Diameter:
| max 11.56 m
Liftoff mass:
| 780 metric tonnes
Payload mass:
| ~10 tonnes at GTO (1500 m/s to GEO)
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER (EAP):
|
- 2 X P241 motor
- Empty 38 tonnes
- Propellants 240 tonnes (HTPB)
- Thrust in vacuum 700 tonnes of force
- Thrust at sea level 509.9 tonnes of force
CRYOGENIC MAIN CORE STAGE (EPC):
|
- 1 X Vulcain-2 engine
- Empty 14.7 tonnes
- Propellants 170 tonnes (LOX + LH2)
- Thrust in vacuum 139 tonnes of force
- Thrust at sea level 96 tonnes of force
CRYOGENIC UPPER STAGE (ESC-A):
|
- 1 X HM7B engine
- Empty 4.54 tonnes
- Propellants 14.9 tonnes (LOX + LH2)
- Thrust in vacuum 6.7 tonnes of force
Payload Fairing:
|
- Diameter 5.4 m
- Length 17 m
- Mass 2675 kg
The vehicle's
reliability statistics according to
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2012.html#rate:
Code:
================================================================
Vehicle Successes/Tries Realzd Pred Consc. Last Dates
Rate Rate* Succes Fail
================================================================
Ariane 5-ECA 37 38 .97 .95 37 12/11/02 2002-
Ariane VA211 Ascent Profile
The launcher’s attitude and trajectory are totally controlled by the two onboard computers, located in the Ariane 5 vehicle equipment bay (VEB). 7.05 seconds after ignition of the main stage cryogenic engine at T-0, the two solid-propellant boosters are ignited, enabling liftoff. The launcher first climbs vertically for 6 seconds, then rotates towards the East. It maintains an attitude that ensures the axis of the launcher remains parallel to its velocity vector, in order to minimize aerodynamic loads throughout the entire atmospheric phase, until the solid boosters are jettisoned.
Once this first part of the flight is completed, the onboard computers optimize the trajectory in real time, minimizing propellant consumption to bring the launcher first to the intermediate orbit targeted at the end of
the main stage propulsion phase, and then the final orbit at the end of the flight of the cryogenic upper stage.
The main stage falls back off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean (in the Gulf of Guinea).
On orbital injection, the launcher will have attained a velocity of approximately 9411 meters/second, and will be at an altitude of about 584.7 kilometers.
The fairing protecting the Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario spacecraft is jettisoned shortly after the boosters are jettisoned at about T+203 seconds.
Ariane VA211 Ascent Timeline
Event|Time rel lift-off|Time UTC|Comment (altitude, velocity)
Start of synchronized sequence|-00:07:00|21:42:00|
Ignition of the cryogenic main stage engine (EPC)|00:00:00|21:49:00|
Liftoff (Ignition of solid boosters)|00:00:07.3|21:49:07.3|0 km 0 m/s
End of vertical climb and beginning of pitch rotation (10 seconds duration)|00:00:12.7|21:49:12.7|0.1 km 35.0 m/s
Beginning of roll manoeuvre|00:00:17|21:49:17|0.3 km 69.9 m/s
Jettisoning of solid boosters|00:02:22|21:51:22|66.4 km 2013 m/s
Payload Fairing Separation|00:03:23|21:52:23|111.6 km 2262 m/s
Shut-down of main cryogenic stage|00:09:00|21:58:00|220.7 km 6809 m/s
Separation of main cryogenic stage|00:09:06|21:58:06|220.4 km 7313 m/s
Ignition of upper cryogenic stage (ESC-A)|00:09:10|21:58:10|220.2 km 7315 m/s
Injection|00:25:10|22:14:10|584.7 km 9411 m/s
Separation of Skynet 5D satellite|00:27:09|22:16:09|858.7 km 9182 m/s
Separation of Sylda 5|00:34:39|22:23:39|2362 km 8090 m/s
Separation of Mexsat Bicentenario satellite|00:36:13|22:25:13|2733.9 km 7859 m/s
Weather forecast for Kourou, French Guiana on December 19, 2012 (7 p.m.)
Partly cloudy with a chance of a thunderstorm and rain in the evening, then overcast with a chance of a thunderstorm and rain. Low of 23C. Winds from the East at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 60% with rainfall amounts near 10.7 mm possible.
Time|Temps|Dew Point|Wind Chill|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
6 PM|28°C|23°C|31°C|73%|20%|0%|62%|1008 hPa|13 km/h ENE|
Chance of a Thunderstorm
References
http://www.arianespace.com
http://www.videocorner.tv
http://www.astrium.eads.net/en/programme/skynet-5-.html
http://www.orbital.com/SatellitesSpace/Communications/Mexsat-3/
http://www.arianespace.com/images/l...eng/VA211-Skynet5D-Mexsat-Bicentenario-GB.pdf
http://english.wunderground.com
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.satlaunch.net
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
http://space.skyrocket.de
ARIANE 5 - Data relating to Flight 211
